Ranniger won’t run for fourth term on Kent City Council

Deborah Ranniger won’t be running this year for a fourth term on the Kent City Council because of time commitments to a new job she took last year.

“This is my 12th year on the city council and I feel I’ve had an outstanding run, but it’s time for me to call 12 good and I will not be running for City Council,” Ranniger said at Tuesday night’s council meeting.

Four other council members – Dana Ralph, Bill Boyce, Les Thomas and Brenda Fincher – are running to keep their seats beyond this year on the seven-member board. The four-year terms of Dennis Higgins and Jim Berrios expire in 2017.

Ranniger is the executive director of the Etta Projects, a Port Orchard-based international nonprofit that works with impoverished communities in rural Bolivia and other countries to improve public health, sanitation, water and develop community leadership. That job will take her to the East Coast in May, to Brazil in June and to Bolivia in September or October as the agency works to address global poverty, water and health issues.

“That is going to demand increasing amounts of my time,” Ranniger said. “I am really looking forward to wrapping out this year and working on issues near and dear to me but my seat will be open.”

Ranniger named the development of the Kent Station shopping center and Town Square Plaza as two key accomplishments during her tenure that helped revive downtown and led to the opening last year of The Platform Apartments.

In recent controversial issues, Ranniger cast the only vote in January against the potential sale of the Riverbend par 3 golf course property for a new Federal Aviation Administration office. She also had the lone vote in November against an increase in the garbage tax to pay for residential street repairs.

Councilman Les Thomas praised Ranniger for her work on the council.

“I doubt if the Town Square Plaza would be anywhere as beautiful if it wasn’t for Dr. Ranniger,” Thomas said. “I always appreciated her determination to have that.”

Thomas also enjoyed serving with Ranniger in her role as council president in 2006-07.

“We came on board at the same time 12 years ago,” Thomas said. “I’ve always told people throughout the years that I’ve felt she was our best council president. There were two things Dr. Ranniger insisted on, one was her fantastic ability to communicate to all council members on a weekly basis – she was fantastic at that – and the second thing was her accountability. We were held accountable to her high standards and I always appreciated her leadership in that area.”

Thomas, who is retired, said in a phone interview that he plans to run for a fourth term.

“I feel I’m representing Kent well the last few years and I want to continue to do so,” Thomas said. “I’d love to work on improving our transportation network. There’s not much money for new roads but we need more (asphalt) overlays, new bicycle trails and walking trails. And we need to work with Sound Transit about its Highway 99 plans (for light rail).”

Fincher, an administrative assistant at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, will run for her seat. The council appointed Fincher last February to replace  Ken Sharp, who resigned after just two weeks in office. As an appointee, Fincher is required to run this year to keep her seat.

Fincher said in a phone interview she plans a kickoff campaign in the near future and will emphasize public safety as a priority.

“I want to make sure (police) are equipped with what we expect them to do and make sure they have what they need,” she said.

Fincher also wants to focus attention on more economic development in the city.

“I want people to live here and be able to work here so they don’t have to commute long distances,” she said.

Ralph, who owns and operates a medical billing company, is completing her first term in office. She is the current council president.

“I love this job,” she said in a phone interview. “I feel I’m making a difference. We’re making progress paying down our debt and reserves are up. I like being a part of this community.”

Boyce, a Boeing human resources manager, also is completing his first term this year after defeating incumbent Debbie Raplee in 2011.

“We need to continue to recruit new business to Kent,” Boyce said in an email about his goals.

Boyce also plans to emphasize fiscal responsibility, try to make the city-owned ShoWare Center profitable and find funds for a new police station.

Bailey Stober, who lost in council races against Sharp in 2013 and against Ranniger in 2011, said he plans to run for Ranniger’s position.

City Council candidates 2015

• Running to keep seats: Bill Boyce, Dana Ralph, Les Thomas, Brenda Fincher

• Stepping aside: Incumbent Deborah Ranniger

• Other candidates: Bailey Stober

Note: Candidates must file by mid-May with King County Elections if they plan to run for office